Pedestrian hit when SUV veered off Aurora

A man who was walking on Aurora Avenue North suffered life-threatening injuries after a Jeep veered onto the sidewalk and hit the man.

The incident happened about 3:30 p.m. in the 7900 block of Aurora. The victim was on the east side of the street when the SUV driver veered off the roadway.

“The driver struck the pedestrian who then struck his head on a steel-beamed store sign,” Detective Jeff Kappel said in a statement. “The vehicle continued on, striking a fire hydrant and coming to rest after striking a telephone pole head on.”

The victim was rushed to Harborview Medical Center. It was not clear why the driver, who was not injured, veered onto the sidewalk, police said.

The driver was not ticketed and released from the scene after a police interview pending further investigation, which is not uncommon in such cases when a driver doesn’t show obvious impairment.

Northbound lanes of Aurora Avenue North were closed for about 90 minutes while traffic collision officers investigated. Kappel said the investigation is ongoing.